CHAPTER SIX
❛shadows in silk part two.❜

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EARLY 130 AC ⸻ Kings Landing ⸻

HOT RIBBONS of light captivated Lyria as she watched the flames dance upon its iron bed. Before this moment, she wouldn't have put too much thought into it. Now it was as if she felt the fiery breath of the dragon with each step. Lyria was almost envious of the flames; how it danced with each spark, landing wherever it wanted to. It was a transient of beauty no matter the cost.

Frustrated, yet compassionate eyes found their way upon Lyria. She was a vision of trauma, no matter how well she composed herself.

"Lyria." Jahaena called out, practically pulling Lyria out of a sorrowful trance. Suddenly, Lyria became more aware of her surroundings. "I need your help."

Lyria pulled herself together, standing on her feet and hurrying towards Jahaena. Soft whimpers filled the room; no one dared to speak. Lyria took her Lady in: Basalia sat in the far corner of her room, tears streaming down puffy cheeks. Her pupils frantic; her heartbeat pumping an unfamiliar rhythm.

Jahaena knew there was no hope of getting her cousin in the bath, but she also needed to make sure that she had no wounds that needed tending. Cleaning her with a soft soaked sponge was her best bet.

Lyria looked between the two women: one who looked as broken as the day she lost everything, and the other one who always placed the pieces back together. Sadly . . .  Neither of the three knew if this was something Jahaena could mend.

"Lia," Jahaena spoke softly, squeezing excess water from the sponge and slowly raising it up against the dirt that was scattered against her neck.

Basalia made no attempt to look at them. She couldn't fathom a thought, let alone make proper eye contact. She felt as if she were falling deeper and deeper into a trench of water. Sounds were distorted, visions were blurred. It wasn't until a pair of fingers grazed her neck that she came up for air.

"NO!"  Basalia screamed to the top of her lungs. Throwing herself back, she began to scratch herself clean as the screams didn't cease.

"Lia—" Lyria tried to soothe, only to be pulled back by Jahaena, who also tried to soothe her cousin.

"Cousin I'm—"

The doors flew open to reveal Ser Leon, his hand resting on his sword in case there was danger behind his post.

It took him a minute staring at the scene to realize what was happening. Basalia was in the corner, shaking, rocking back and forth while Lyria and Basalia tried to calm her down.

"What happened?" Ser Leon questioned.

Lyria, through confused tears attempted to respond, "Jahaena merely touched her—"

Ser Leon shook his head, "After the events of the night, do you think my Lady yearns to be touched?"

Lyria grew silent as Jahaena took in a sharp breath, "Shall I call for a Maester?"

Ser Leon shook his head, "Go, let me speak with her."

Jahaena did not put up an argument at his rough tone, only nodded at Lyria before looking at her cousin once more. The two then made their departure, leaving Basalia and Ser Leon alone.

Once the door was shut, Leon made his way to Basalia. Crouching down next to her, he sighed. All he wanted to do was to reassure her, but how could he do that without touching her?

"You're safe now, my Lady." Leon cooed, his lips drawing tight as his eyes rest upon her.

"I will not abandon you again, on my honor."

It took little words of safety and compassion for Basalia to finally calm.  Red eyes made contact with his own, pulling at Leon's heartstrings.

"I wish to go home."  Basalia's voice was a broken whisper. She didn't know what it was, but she suddenly felt a wave of comfort in his presence.

Leon nodded, knowing that she was too deep into the dragon's den to possibly make it out. "I know." With another sigh, he continued on. "I can't make that promise, but I can promise you that I will be here, every step of the way."

Basalia's lips twitched, too sore and lost to pull a smile together.

"I know you don't want a bath," He began, knowing that he needed to be careful approaching the topic as he was just a knight, "Maybe you'd like to rest."

Basalia nodded, slowly coming to her feet, her petite figure still shaking.

Leon guided her to her bed, making a mental note to get the servants to change her sheets on the morrow.

Pulling back the sheets and fluffing Basalia's pillow, he nodded to her, "It's ready."

Basalia said nothing, only slowly climbed into her bed. She left her garments on as she didn't have the energy to change them.

Leon took the edge of the sheets and tucked her in without a touch of her skin. "Sleep well, my Lady."

Turning to leave, he blew the candle out. Before he could even open the door to rejoin his post, a small whimper distracts him.

"Stay."

⸻

As Lyria and Jahaena rounded the hallway, Jahaena spoke up.

"What were you thinking?" She hissed. "You know how dangerous the city is!"

Lyria sighed, promising herself that she wouldn't shed a single tear as she explained the notes.

Not caring about how early the hour was now, Jahaena stormed into Helaena's chambers. Luckily for them, Aegon was nowhere to be seen and Helaena was an early riser.

"You!" Jahaena hissed, ignoring Lyria's pleas for her to approach this calmly.

Helaena turned, an absentminded expression on her face. "Good morrow, Jahaena. Do you take yourself to be an early riser?"

Jahaena felt no remorse as Lyria did. Helaena was the sweetest thing in Westeros, no doubt, and here Jahaena was, practically biting her head off.

"Never you mind that, how can you sit with yourself after what happened to my family?" Jahaena seethed, slightly pushing Lyria off of her hand as she attempted to reel her in.

Lyria was no match to Jahaena after people she cares about have been hurt.  She wasn't sure if anyone was.

"I- I" Helaena stuttered, her eyes carefully studying Jahaena's. She was awfully confused; what had happened? What had she done?

"Perhaps it wasn't her—" Lyria argued.

"The poison started here!" Jahaena metaphorically replied, the only color she could see was red.

Suddenly, the handmaiden that had done the dirty biddings stepped forth from the shadows, "It wasn't Helaena."

"Well then who in the seven hells was it?!" Jahaena screeched back, gradually becoming more irritated at the confusion and back and forths.

"Aemond." Lyria's heart skipped a beat, her stomach grew green. Helaena spoke nothing as Jahaena's head tilted.

"Aemond paid me well to deliver the note to Basalia, but I got the two of you mixed up." The handmaiden looked to the ground, guilty tears welling up in her eyes. "If I would have known what it said—"

"That's not good enough!" Jahaena argued, "What business would Aemond have ruining the honor of his betrothed?"

Lyria spoke nothing, because this was a riddle she also couldn't solve.

Jahaena threw her hands up, frustrated as her mind painted the next target. "My apologies, princess." Was all she spoke as she stormed out of the door. Jahaena knew that she would come back for a proper apology later once her mind was calm. Helaena knew it, too.

Lyria followed quick in Jahaena's murderous wake.

"Jahaena—" Lyria called out, grabbing her arm.

Jahaena spun to meet guilty eyes.

"I left her."

"What?" Jahaena questioned, knowing she never sat down to digest the full story.

"Aemond saved me first, leaving Basalia in the arms of a stranger. I..." Lyria suddenly choked on her words, tears finding their way to spill once more, "I left her."

Jahaena sighed, knowing she had to find Aemond first to gain the full treachery before she could truly comfort Lyria. From day one, Lyria and Basalia were connected by the hip. Now, they couldn't be far apart.

It was a fact that would now eat Lyria alive.

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